The China ocean comprehensive resource investigation vessel (“Dayang No. 2”) and manned submersible supported mother vessel (“Jiaolong” mother vessel) are to be constructed, with the construction time of about 28 months. It is estimated that it will be delivered in March 2019.

The “Dayang No. 2” and “Jiaolong” mother vessels belong to China Ocean Mineral Resources R & D Association. On November 18, Ocean Association signed the construction contract of two vessels with CSSC HUANGPU WENCHONG SHIPBUILDING Company Limited and CSIC Wuchang Shipbuilding Industry Group Co., Ltd. in Beijing. According to the design and construction requirements of greening, informatization, modularization, convenience, comfort and internationalization, two vessels will be constructed into modern scientific investigation vessels with world’s advanced level. “Dayang No. 2” to be constructed is a new 4,000 toner ocean comprehensive resource investigation vessel, which is designed by No. 701 Institute of CSIC and constructed by CSSC HUANGPU WENCHONG SHIPBUILDING Company Limited. ”Dayang No. 2” has its overall length of 98m and width of 17m, which may sail in non-restricted waters and have the DC busbar electric propulsion system. The used straight oar propeller has the stabilization function and lower underwater radiation noise. More than 70 kinds of advanced investigation instruments and equipment will be equipped on board and the lab area is more than 400m2. The operation deck is wide. It has several mobile container-type lab positions, 7 international advanced shipborne technologies such as seabed, water body and partial atmosphere investigation, deep sea extreme environment detection, on-site verification of remote sensing information, deep sea technology test and ship informatization system and abilities of comprehensive ocean observation and detection of marine geology, ocean dynamics and sea-air environment with high accuracy and long period, fidelity sampling and on-site analysis.

The manned submersible supported mother vessel to be constructed is a special quasi-4,000 tonner mother vessel which provides support and maintenance for the deep diving operation of “Jiaolong” submersible, which is designed by No. 708 Institute of CHINA STATE SHIPBUILDING CORPORATION and constructed by CSIC Wuchang Shipbuilding Industry Co., Ltd.“Jiaolong” mother vessel has its overall length of 90.2m and width of 16.8, which may sail in non-restricted waters and have the electric pod propulsion system. Several types of labs such as relevant geology, hydrology, biochemistry, special hangar of “Jiaolong”, submersible control center and data processing center are provided, with the lab area of more than 300m2. The special POV operation system is provided. The shipborne investigation system may complete various detection tasks required by diving of “Jiaolong” mother vessel and have the data and sample processing and on-site analysis abilities.

Insiders think that these two new vessels to be constructed have high technical content and great manufacturing difficulty, which are challenging for the shipbuilder. After constructed, they will significantly enhance the ability of China to conduct the comprehensive investigation for the ocean international sea area resources and environment and greatly enhance the detection ability and research level of ocean exploration of China to provide strong support to achieve the medium and long-term planning objectives of the Chinese ocean technology.